By Kathie FitzPatrick
There is something about a good bowl of home made soup . . . it seems to warm the body and soul and put a smile on your face every time! Whether it fills you up to go back to work at the office, back to school to face the test, or out to shovel the driveway, it makes lots of healthy fuel for the both the body mind and spirit!

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Whether it’s a Dutch Oven…Make Soup…

… A Croc Pot … or A Big 6 quart pot…Make SOUP!

By Kathie FitzPatrick

There is something about a good bowl of home made soup . . . it seems to warm the body and soul and put a smile on your face every time! Whether it fills you up to go back to work at the office, back to school to face the test, or out to shovel the driveway, it makes lots of healthy fuel for the both the body mind and spirit!

White Lentil Soup With Bacon

Fill the chosen cooking vessel with about 3/4 water. Decide if you will use a small bag of white lentils or a large one depending on your pot. Use the water to lentil ration indicated on the bag. Place one or two pork ham hocks in the pan, salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 diced onion and two or three chopped celery stalks, plus chose sliced carrots. Let come to a boil, then simmer for about 3 1/2 hrs or until lentils are tender. Serve with chopped fresh parsley and sprinkle with real crumbled bacon. Be sure you also serve your favorite hot bread and a salad. This makes a healthy, satisfying combination whether for lunch or dinner!

White Lentil Soup with Swedish meatballs

Make the white lentil soup with ham hock as described described above. In large fraying pan make your Swedish meatballs, turning them often as you fry them for even results.

Swedish Meatballs

In large bowl combine 1 package of lean ground beef (1 or 2 lbs or so) with half the amount of ground pork sausage. Add 1/2 diced medium onion, 2 eggs, 1 cup breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp nutmeg or so depending on your taste; mix well. Shape into small meat balls about 1 inch or so. Fry in pan with a small amount of olive oil coating the pan. When cooked through and through, drop into the pot of hot white lentil soup mixture. Serve with you favorite hot bread, real butter and green salad. Yummmm!

Italian Pasta Fajole

In a large iron pan with cover or Dutch oven, place chopped left over beef chuck roast or diced beef stew meat, and place in hot pan with a little olive oil. Stir in fresh or dry rosemary, and Italian seasoning of your choice or herbs from your garden such as Oregano and Thyme. Let flavors cook into the meat. Add five cups of water and one bag of dry mixed bean mix. Then stir in 3 cups chopped canned tomatoes, Italian style if you can get them. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to simmer for 4 or 5 hours. Shortly before serving pour into boiling mixture, 1 half bag pasta shells. Cook until tender about 9 minutes. Serve with joy, add hot sourdough or faoscia bread! Make green salad with Romain lettuce, spinach, tomato and artichoke hearts…and Italian dressing. This is a family recipe!

Easy Split Pea Soup

The simple recipe for this warm satisfying soup is as old as the hills, and then some! My grandma Elizabeth, on my Mom’s side, who’s family did a homestead farm in Oklahoma, always had a pot of beans of some kind simmering on the stove. Split pea is one of those easy, tummy warming ones!

Fill large pot with lid (or croc pot) about 2/3 or so with water. Place one or two ham hocks in it along with either a small or large bag of dry split peas. Read the mix to water ratio on the bag. Add a couple of chopped/sliced carrots, 1 diced onion, and a couple of stalks of chopped celery; salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then simmer 3-4 hours of until the split peas are tender, and liquefying into soup. Serve with Honey corn bread and your favorite salad!

Quick Five Bean Chili

This is easy and quick! Decide on the amount you want to make. Say, using 2 lbs ground beef would be an average amount serving about 6 people. In large frying pan cook the ground beef stirring frequently until thoroughly done. Add salt and pepper to taste and about 3 TBS chili powder, or tailored to your taste. Use the same frying pan with lid if large enough or transfer to a larger cooking pot with lid.

1 can white northern beans

2 cans pinto beans

2 cans kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can of chipolte beans, or any other kind of beans you like that would be compatible with Chili.

1 can chopped tomatoes, Mexican style or plain

Use the liquid from the canned beans as a base. Cook on medium heat for at least 30 min to 1 hour. Simmer longer to let the flavors continue to release and mix well into the chili. Shortly before serving add small slices or bits of sliced or chopped fresh green bell pepper. Let cook barely through and through to keep crisp.

Five Bean Chili–a quick favorite!

Serve with Taco chips or your favorite bread.

Easy Chicken Soup

They say chicken soup is good for the soul, and everything else that ails you. This is probably true!

Basic Home made Chicken Soup

If you have just finished off a baked or roasted chicken, or even brought one home from the deli on the way home from work . . . you may be looking at the chicken carcass, that also made a few tasty sandwiches, thinking, “Now what? Is it time to toss it?”

No! You can make delightful, warming chicken soup with the remainder, and you’ll be glad you did!

Place the chicken “carcass” in a croc pot or stewing pot, add water up to the three quarter point of the pot or so. add salt and pepper, I chopped onion, 3 stalks chopped celery, and 2 chopped carrots. Bring to a boil then let simmer 3 hours. This going to create a “base stock.”

Grandma Ruby’s Homemade Soup

Here is a simple and easy home made soup recipe sure to please! Take a large beef bone and place in a large cooking pan with 5 to 6 cups of water. Add chopped potatoes, 3 stalks chopped celery, 1 chopped onion, 3 large carrots, add salt and pepper to taste, 2 cans pinto beans, one can black beans, 1 can kidney beans. Stir in 2 small cans or one large can tomato soup. Optional: add corn; Add braised beef pieces. Bring to a boil, then cook for 4 hrs – 5 hrs. on medium heat until the soup looks well blended and the flavors and have released throughout! Add sage or thyme if desired. Serve with honey cornbread.